A FAMILY of six Kurds, including four children, have mounted a last-ditch battle against deportation from the UK.

Father Soran Ahmed Mohammad fears his life could be in danger from either people smugglers or the authorities in his native Iran.

Yesterday the 39-year-old, his wife Wazira and their children should have flown to Italy where they came to the attention of the immigration authorities.

They refused and are terrified they will be arrested at their home in New Bank Road, Blackburn, and forcibly deported.

Mr Mohammad believes he would be at risk in Italy from the human traffickers who smuggled him to the UK and could be sent on to Iran where he believes the authorities pose a danger to his life.

The family, including daughters Sumaya, 10, and Sariya, nine, and their brothers Binar, three, and Danar, two, have enlisted the support of Blackburn MP Kate Hollern.

The two girls have been in tears at school and begged their teachers to hide them.

They fled the lawless Iran/Iraq border region in August after a friend of Mr Mohammad implicated him in anti-government activity, and were smuggled through Turkey and across Europe to the UK.

Mr Mohammad denies any political involvement but admits importing strictly forbidden alcohol, illegal cigarettes and banned satellite TV equipment.

In an Italian forest hiding place the children’s noise attracted police attention and they were forcibly fingerprinted, which angered the traffickers.

Mr Mohammed said: “We applied for asylum when we got to Blackburn and were refused and were told there was no point in appealing. We like it here. People have made us very welcome.

“We are terrified we will be arrested and sent back to Italy where they may deport us back to Iran.”

He says if they were returned to Italy he would be in fear of his life from the traffickers, and from the authorities if he was returned to Iran.

Donna Simpson, head of Wensley Fold Church of England Primary Academy, said: “Sumaya and Sariya are delightful children. They have both come into school very upset and have begged their teachers to take them home and hide them.”

We would all be devastated if the family were deported.”

Mrs Hollern said: “I was very sorry to learn of this case and my office is working with the Home Office with a view to stopping any removal action against this settled family.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “This case is ongoing due to further information the family has provided which will be considered.”

THE FAMILY'S TREACHEROUS JOURNEY FROM IRAN TO BLACKBURN

THE family fled Iran, where they lived in the lawless border region with Iraq in August after a friend implicated Mr Mohammad in anti-government activity.

After an attempt by the Iranian police to arrest him, an uncle arranged for the family to escape to Turkey.

There they fell into the hands of traffickers who smuggled them to Italy by lorry, by boat across the Mediterranean and then to a forest into Italy, where the noise of the children attracted police attention and they were fingerprinted.

The family was then put into the back of another truck and smuggled to a second forest hiding place in France.

They next spent two days in the back of lorry scarcely able to breathe as the people smugglers then took them across the English Channel.

The next thing they knew they had been dumped near Liverpool where they rang 999 as instructed.

The police arrived and arranged for them to be taken to Blackburn in October under a Home Office refugee settlement scheme.

Earlier this week they were told they would be returned to Italy and there was no point in appealing the decision.